Ceiling washer



Sept. 23, 1941. H. J. LIKSHIS CEILING WASHER Filed June 24, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l 'NVENTOR HARRY J2 LIKSHIS fie. I,

ATTORNEY Sept. 23, 1941. H. J. LIKSHIS CEILING WASHER Filed June 24, 1940 3 SheetsSheet 2 .114 INVENTOR HARRY J. Lmsms ATTORNEY Sept. 23, 1941. H. J. LIKSHIS CEILING WASHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 V Filed June 24, 1940 .FIli.

INVENTOR HARRY (I'Lmse-us ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 23, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CEII'QING WASHER Harry J.'Likshis, Worcester, Mass. Application June 24, 1940, Serial No. 342.05

1 Claim. (01. 15-50) This invention relates to a machine for washing ceilings and for removing water-paint or other coatings therefrom.

It is the general object of my invention to improve the construction of such machines, as heretofore known, to the intent that they 'may be more economical to manufacture and more convenient and satisfactory in use.

To the attainment of this object, important features of the invention relate to an improved mechanism for raising and lowering the washing unit; to means providing transverse adjustment of the washing unit relative to its supporting frame; to an improved device for cleaning the washing brush, and to shielding means adapted for use with brushes of different diameters.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

A preferred form of the invention is shown i the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1 and with certain parts shown in section; Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1;

h Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig.5 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a partial side elevation, looking in the 'directionof the arrow 6 in Fig. 1 and with certain parts shown in section;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken along the line 1-1 in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a detail view, looking in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. 1.

. Referring to the drawings, my improved ceiling "washer comprises an outer and lower frame unit A which may be supported on rolls or castors I (Fig. 1), and an inner and upper frame unit B which is vertically slidable in the lower frame unit A.

' The lower frame unit A comprises a base or platform 12 (Fig. 1) having an extension 13 (Fig. 2) at one side thereof and provided with four fixed upright guide members l4, each preferably formed from an angle-bar and firmly secured to the base [2. The members 14 are also connected together by a plurality of cross bars l and Hi to form a rigid rectangular structure.

The upper frame unit B similarly comprises mounted ina second bracket 31.

four angle bar guide members ['3 (Fig. 1) rigidly secured together by cross angle bars [Sand 20 to form a second rigid rectangular structure which is slidable within the guide members l4 of the lower frame unit A. I I

A grooved hand wheel 22 (Fig. 1) is pivotally mounted on one of the cross bars l5 of the lower unit A, and a chain 24 is connected tothe-hand wheel 22 in any convenient manner, as by a bent cotter-pin 25 (Figs. 1 and 8). The chain 24 extends upward from the wheel 22 to a guide pulley 21 mounted in a bracket 26 (Fig. 2) and thence inward horizontally to a guide pulley 30 (Fig. 5)

The brackets 28 and 3| are secured at opposite sides of one of the fixed cross bars [6 (Fig. 2).

From the guide pulley 30, the chain 24 extends downward approximately at the. center of the frame units A and B and is secured by a hook 33 to an angle bar 34 (Figs. 1 and 5) which extends crosswise of the upper frame unit B, and is supported at its ends by two of the lower cross angle. bars I9 of said unit 3. By rotating the hand wheel 22 anti-clockwise or in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 1, the upper frame unit B may -be lifted relative to the fixed outer and. lower frame unit A. Two of the inner upright guide members 18 are each provided'witha vertical series of openings 35 (Fig. 3) adapted to receive the innerends of locking studs 36 (Fig. 4) which project loosely through openings 31 in the associated fixed outer guide members l4.

Each stud 36 is mounted near the upper end of a flat spring 38, secured to one of the members 14 by a clampingscrew 39. The springs 38 normally advance the studs 36 to the locking position shown in Fig. 4. A crossbar 46 (Fig. 3)

connects the two springs 36 and provides convenient means for simultaneously withdrawing both studs 36 when desired.

The locking studs 36 are preferably beveled on their lower surfaces, as indicated at 4|, (Fig. 4)

so that'they have aratchet action and will be moved yieldingly outward as the inner frame members l8 are moved upward, but will thereafter lock the frame members l8firmly against downward displacement until the studs 36 are manually withdrawn.

I have thus' provided convenient means for raising the inner and upper frame unit B and for automatically locking the unit B at any desired elevation by the studs'36. When it is desired to V "lower the frame unit B, the studs 36 may be simultaneously withdrawn by means of the bar 40,

comprises an open tank or pan 50 made of sheet metal or other suitable material, and having a bottom 5I (Fig. 7), upright end Walls-52 (Fig. 1)

and outwardly inclined side walls 53. 'The tank 50 is preferably provided withside'bars 54 (Fig; i

7), which rest on the inner flanges of certain .of

the upper cross bars 20 and on intermediate cross bars 59, the ends of which are supportedon the regular cross bars 20 as shown in Fig. 1.

A guide strip '69 (Fig. 7) is secured-to the under side of each side bar 54 and isiloosely slidable in a guideway formed between one of the cross frame bars 20 andits associated intermediate cross bar 59. Washers 62 are secured by bolts 63 in recesses in the guide-bars 6i] and extend under the bars 26 and 59, thus preventing upward displacement or tipping of the tank 52 and associated parts. a

A brush I (Fig. 2) is'mounted on a shaft II, one end of which is rotatable in a bearing I2 fixed to an end wall of the tank 55!. The other end of the shaft II is connected by a coupling I3 to a short shaft I4 rotatableinabearing L5 mounted in the opposite end wall of the tank 59.

A grooved pulley 8B is fixed tothe shaft I4 and is connected by a belt 8| (Fig. 1) to a small driving pulley 82 on the armature shaft 83 of an electric motor M. ,The motor M is supported by a frame-work 84 (Fig. 6) depending from and secured to the side bars 5 1 of the tank 55.. The washing unit, including the motor 'M and the brush 8!], are thus'slidable horizontally on th f upper end portion ofthe upper-frame ,B, which is a substantial advantage, as thewashing unit can thus be moved over close to a. vertical side wall, even if the supporting frames; are 1 held away from the wall by someobstruction, such as a steam radiator. Q

A wiping device 90 (Figs. 1 and 2) is mounted on a shaft 9| rotatable in bearings-.92 and 9.3 in the side walls of the tank 58 and isprovided with rubber wiping blades 95 (Fig. 1) adapted to 'engage the ends of the bristles of the brush I0 and to keep them clear of dirt or paste .or other.material removed from the ceiling. This material is dislodged from the bristles by the blades .95 and wiper blades and wiping device. 90 both rotate in a clockwise direction, as'indicated'by the arrows'in'Fig. 1,

so that the blades. 9E5 of thewiper are moving in the opposite direction from the bristles in the brush Ill at theirpoint of engagement.

Water is supplied through a hose I60 to. a

spray. pipe IUI (Fig. 2) ,by which jets of. water are directed against anadjacentportion of. the ceiling to be cleaned. A branch pipe. I82,is connected to the pipe IBI and directsasecondseries bottom of the tank, as shown in Fig. 1.

and the downward motion may be controlled by of jets against the rotating brush III. The waste water and dirt is removed from the tank 50 through a hose I05 connected to an outlet in the The hose I may be coupled to any suitable supply pipe from which water may be drawn, and the hose I65 may extend down into a pail supported on the platform I2 or on the extension I3 thereof shown in Fig, 2 or may extend to a suitable drain.

The motor M is provided with a cord IIEI and attachment plug II I, so that it may be plugged in to any convenient outlet. The motor is preferably controlled through a manually operated switch II4 mounted on one of the frame members I8 and connected by a cord II5 which has 'sufiicient slack to permit horizontal adjustment of theflmotor, M with the washing unit, as previously described.

Arubber-covered frame or buffer I20 (Figs. 1 and 6) is secured to the sides of the tank 50 and projects laterally therefrom, as shown inrFig. 6,

to engage a side wall. of a room and prevent injury thereto by the washing unit when projectedbeyond the side of the supporting frame and platform. 1

A flexible and preferably rubberized flange or sleeve I25 (Fig. 1) is secured to a 'metalband 728 which embraces the upper part of the tank 58, The sleeve I25 is designed to closely engage the ceiling to prevent waterfrom being spattered about by the rotating brush I0 and the spray pipes Iill and I02. The sleeve I25 is held inposition on the tank by a clampingv bolt- I28 (Fig.2). By loosening the bolt, the sleeve may be vertically adjusted to take care of variations in the effective diameter of the brush I0.

' Having described the details of construction of myimproved machine, the use and advantages thereof are believed to be readily apparent. When the machine is not in use, the upper frame unit B is nested within the lower frame unit A .and the washing unit is adjusted horizontally to the position shown in Fig. 2, where it is-substantially overthe frame units.

When the machine is to be used, the upper frame unit B is raised by manual rotation -01 the hand wheel 22, and is held in vertically adjusted position by the locking studs-36, which have a rat het action during upward movement of the unit B. The sleeve I25 is adjusted, if necessary, to closely engage the ceiling when the bristles of the brush I0 have operative relation thereto. Water is admitted through the .hose I and pipes I01 and I02, and the motor M is started to rotate the brush Wand wiping device 90, 3 Y H v The machine is then moved about under the ceiling to bring the brush "IQ into contact with successive portions thereof, and the washing'unit may be adjusted horizontally to the dotted. line position in Fig. 6 if a-radiator or'other obstruction prevents-moving the machine close'to a side-wall. f

As-the'machine continues to operate, thewaste water and dirt flows out through the piped-05 to a suitable container or to any availablewaste outlet or drain. a At the end of the cleaning operation, the frame unit B may be lowered by grasping the cross bar 40 and withdrawing the locking studs 36, at the same time retarding the downward movement by a firm hold on the hand wheel 22.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof,.I do nctwish to; be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claim, but what I claim is:

A ceiling washer comprising a two-part vertically adjustable rectangular supporting frame having spaced horizontal guiding members fixed on its top surface, a washing unit comprising a tank having side bars slidable horizontally in said guiding members and a washing element movably mounted in said tank, and a motor to drive said washing element, said motor being mounted below said tank and within said frame and being supported from said side bars, said washing unit normally overlying said supporting frame in substantial vertical alignment therewith, and said Washing unit and motor being together slidable on said guiding members and relative to said supporting frame to advance said washing unit to an overhanging operative position substantially offset horizontally from said supporting frame to coact with the extreme edge portions of the ceiling, and said motor being effective to counterbalance in part the overhanging portion of said washing unit.

HARRY J LIKSI-IIS. 

